Origins (4 page)

“Help me or I’m ripping it off,” she whispered against his lips.

“Joy. No. I cannot—not here.”

“Yes, Zareb. Here and now. Who knows if we’ll have this chance again. We could die out here and I won’t do that without a taste of you.”

“If we mate—”

“Who said mating? I’m talking about wild, hot monkey sex. You, me and the naked mambo. Got it?” He was distracted enough she was able to get his shirt off.

God, he was all muscle. Joy kissed his shoulder and nuzzled her way down to his dark brown nipple. This was going to be dirty and messy. Normally she was all about the clean, but not now. She wanted him any way she could get him.

“My panther wants to make you his. If I—”

Joy bit and licked his nipple, cutting off what he was about to say.

“Then don’t, that simple. Whatever it is that needs to be done to bind us, don’t do it. We know how fast Valerie shifted, we can’t have that, not here. There’s too much danger. If—”

“When?” Zareb interrupted her.

“Okay then, when we make it out of here alive we can mate where it won’t put us both in danger. We’re both too powerful to take it lightly and I’d like my family around when it’s time for me to shift in case we need help. Now get naked and let’s do this. God I want you inside me. I’m so wet for you, Zareb.”

Joy took his hand and trailed it down her body until it reached the bottom of her shorts. She wedged his fingers inside so he could feel her drenched panties.

“Joy.” Zareb’s finger slid into her folds.

She moaned and rocked against him. It wasn’t enough. Joy managed to move back so she could stand, and Zareb’s digits slid from her body. Joy steadied herself and stripped off all of her clothes. Maybe another time she could tease Zareb all night long, but right now she wanted to feel alive in the most primitive way.

When Zareb saw what she was doing he followed suit, but not before he licked his fingers. That was so hot. Joy wondered what she would taste like mixed with him. She didn’t have long to wait. Once all of her clothes were gone, Zareb pulled her down on top of him then rolled. She was under him as he took her mouth in a kiss and she tasted the wonderful mix that was her and the pure flavour of Zareb.

Zareb pressed his lips to her pulse point. He was struggling and she knew he wanted to bite her.

“It’s okay, Zareb, bite me. God I want you to. Just—not in a mating spot. Don’t tempt us that much.”

Zareb nodded against Joy’s skin. He made his way down her body until he reached her nipple. Her hips rocked, seeking friction when he bit down. She wasn’t expecting it, but her orgasm raced through her body. Her pussy clenched and she wished Zareb was inside her to fill the empty space so she could milk him dry.

“Zareb!”

He took that as a cue and sank inside her, his girth stretching her pussy. The slight pinch had Joy biting her lip. She liked the little edge of pain—it made her feel alive. His hard cock plunged into her depths again and again, she was so full. Joy’s body wouldn’t stop shaking. Her climax rippled through her. It seemed to never end. Zareb’s body fed hers.

“More. Zareb. I need—” She had no idea what she really needed. Her orgasm should have been enough, but it wasn’t—and her body craved more. Never had a sexual encounter been this extreme or intense, with each nerve ending twitching.

He hit every button she had. Each thrust brought her to a higher level of excitement. The very sweat that dripped off Zareb’s face and landed on her body turned her on. She ran her hands over his bald head, and had the urge to lick it and roll herself in his scent. Joy rubbed her cheek against his chest, the smooth skin so hot it scorched her face. Her hard-as-rock nipples crushed against the planes of Zareb’s skin. They ached with the need of his touch.

Something deep inside her clicked.

“Joy,” Zareb whispered against her throat, and his sharp teeth pierced her skin. Her orgasm started all over again. Her body quivered.

Zareb threw his head back and snarled. Losing what little control he had, he bucked against her until he collapsed on top of her. Both of them were stated yet neither could stop their bodies from squirming, wanting more.

White hot pain caused her whole body to spasm—something was wrong. This wasn’t post-sex euphoria. She rolled into a ball. Her head pounded and her body ached. Her vision faded in on itself and everything went black.

“Joy. My siel. Please wake up.”

Something stroked over her. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place where she was—and what was the smell?

“That’s a pretty girl. It will be okay. It is me—Zareb.”

Zareb, mate. He had a voice she could wallow in. Joy got up and stretched, but things looked different. Couldn’t she stand? And that smell was there again.
Heavenly.
She cocked her head, nudging Zareb’s thigh with it, and there it was, the best scent in the world. Joy licked Zareb’s leg and the taste exploded on her tongue—she wanted to sink her teeth into the skin and she growled with the need for more.

Did that come from me? Did I really—lick him?

Joy sat back on her haunches and looked down to see furry black paws.

Paws? What the hell?

Joy leapt back. This was wrong—all wrong. They hadn’t mated so she shouldn’t have changed.

“Please, my siel, do not panic. We will figure this out. I did not do the mating ritual with you, this should not have happened, but it has and we have to deal with it. I need you to shift back now. Can you do that?”

Could she? Joy had no idea because she didn’t remember shifting in the first place. Joy did the only thing she could think of—she closed her eyes and pictured herself as a human.

I am Joy. Shift. Shift. Shift.

The pain wasn’t as intense as she moved from cat to human. She lay panting on the ground and was thankful she’d been naked when the change had happened because her
 
back up clothes had gone in the bag Djimon and Ive had taken with them.

Clothes—she was worried about what to wear when her life had been taken out from under her?

“What did you do?” Joy asked, as calmly as she could.

“Me? I did nothing. You asked me not to mate-mark you so I did not do the ritual. Well—I did bite one spot that usually starts the ritual, but you need all the marks to be bonded. There was none of that; you should not have shifted.”

“Has this ever happened before?”

“The only time others have changed has been through ritual. Even when the first massive shift happened in my village, a shaman led the chant.”

“So we aren’t mated?”

“No, we are not.” He sounded disappointed.

“Okay. I can deal—I can, damn it. Everything has been taken out of my control and I fucking hate this.” Not that she would throw a big hissy fit. She knew they were destined to be mates, but she wanted her shift to happen on her terms, not have it sprung on her. She wasn’t ready for this.

“We can now, you know that, right?”

“Can what?” Joy was confused.

“Mate. It would make us both stronger and we need not worry about your shift because it has already happened.”

Her inner cat screamed
yes,
and Zareb’s thought that they’d be stronger was appealing to her. It could help them get out of
Africa
alive.

“No. Yes. Hell, Zareb, I don’t know.”And she didn’t. Her life had changed the moment she’d stepped into her sister Valerie’s apartment and seen the evil magic trying to take over. It was then she’d known everything she’d been taught would be put to the test.

“You say all your choices were taken from you and I will not be the one to take this one away. Our mating will be of your choosing, but make no mistake, Joy, you will be mine in all ways possible.”

Zareb pulled her towards him and took a kiss. Nothing lingering—a hard, quick, possessive meeting of mouths.

“We will sleep now. Morning will be here soon enough and we are getting closer to the burial site. We need to be alert.”

Joy didn’t bother to argue. Zareb handed her the clothes she had ripped off earlier. They both got dressed and when Joy would have gone to the other side of the fire, Zareb tugged her closer and pulled her down on the ground beside him. He positioned them so he was between her and the jungle—the fire nice, bright and hot in front of her. Zareb spooned his body to her and his calm breathing relaxed her enough that she slipped into sleep—but not before she checked the wards she had placed around their camp to alert her if someone got too close. Everything seemed to be holding and she slid into oblivion.

Chapter Three

Zareb woke up when Joy bolted upright.

“Something’s wrong.”

A lot of things were wrong. Not just wrong, but out of his control. Joy wasn’t the only one who had choices taken from her. He would need some time to commune with the Ancients. There was no way his mate should have shifted after sex, even after he’d bitten her. The magic words along with the three bites were what should usher in the change. That was what he had always been told.

“What is it, my siel?” he whispered.

“Something is poking at the ward I set.”

“Something or someone?”

Joy closed her eyes. By the Ancients, she really was beautiful. And in panther form she shone. Her coat was a dark, inky black. He’d expected her to be lighter, like her skin tone, but her form mirrored his.

“A person.”

“Take my hand and show me what you see.”

Joy clasped his palm, brought it to her heart and rested it against her chest. His fingers brushed her breast.

Now is not the time for sexual thoughts.

Her magic flowed through him with little effort. It was almost like they were already one. He was pleasantly surprised by who lurked in the jungle.

“Do you see him?”

“Yes, he is an old friend. You may let him in through your ward into the camp, I believe he can help.”

The trust she had for him almost blinded him. Her faith was astounding— she had released a tiny portion of the ward just because he’d asked it of her. His tribe mate, Baakir strutted through the opening Joy had created with her magic. The power in Joy’s body fascinated him—she had so much control. Not many people could do what she did with the little effort she put into it. Just how deep did her power go? He knew who her father was, but what of her mother?

“Zareb! I thought that was you, old friend. What brings you here?”

“Baakir. I thought you long gone.”

The two men hugged and pounded on each other’s backs. Zareb closed his eyes. It was such a reminder of the old ways and what could have been if he had not been so struck by the power of evil.

“Someone needed to protect the land. I knew you would be back sooner or later. The Ancients told me to be here, that you might need me. So here I am.”

Joy stood off to the side, just watching the two of them.

“Baakir, this is Joy. We are here to return the Vessel to the resting ground and destroy it, as should have been done centuries ago.”

Baakir bowed over Joy’s hand. Zareb held his cat in check. Kir was a friend. Not an enemy.

“Ah, you have found your mate at last. I wish you both much happiness.” Kir smiled at him.

“How did you know—we haven’t—that is—”